Compressor Comprising A Guide Vane Having A Washing System

ABSTRACT

A compressor for compressing a working medium, having at least one rotor-side rotor-blade ring and at least one stator-side guide-vane ring. The or each rotor-blade ring has a plurality of rotor blades and the or each guide-vane ring has a plurality of guide vanes. At least one guide vane has a washing system, by which washing agent can be squirted or sprayed onto assemblies positioned adjacent to the particular guide-vane ring, in particular to a rotor-blade ring positioned adjacent to the particular guide-vane ring.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a U.S. national stage of application No. PCT/EP2016/059977,filed on May 4, 2016. Priority is claimed on Germany Application No.DE102015006080.5, filed May 9, 2015, the content of which isincorporated here by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a compressor.

2. Description of the Prior Art

From practice, the fundamental construction of a compressor serving forcompressing a working medium is thoroughly known. Accordingly, acompressor comprises at least one rotor side rotor-blade ring with aplurality of rotor blades and at least one stator side guide-vane ringwith a plurality of guide vanes.

Accordingly, DE 10 2010 064 047 A1 shows a turbo machine with a radialcompressor and a radial turbine, wherein the compressor comprises arotor-blade ring and a guide-vane ring, wherein the guide-vane ring isdescribed as an initial guide vane device.

The guide vanes of a guide-vane ring can be embodied adjustably.Accordingly, an adjusting device of the guide vanes of a guide-vane ringof an axial turbo machine is known for example from DE 37 11 224 C2.

It is known that a compressor can comprise a washing device to be ableto wash or clean the assemblies of the compressor. Such washing devicesaccording to the practice are additional installations in thecompressor. So as not to negatively affect the through-flow and thus theefficiency of the compressor too greatly, these additional installationsare positioned with a clear distance to the assemblies of the compressorto be cleaned, in particular a distance from the rotor blades of arotor-blade ring to be cleaned, as a result of which the cleaning effectis negatively affected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is therefore a need for a compressor the assemblies of which canbe cleaned better or more effectively, namely without the risk that thethrough-flow and thus the efficiency of the compressor being negativelyaffected.

Starting out from this, one aspect of the present invention is based oncreating a new type of compressor.

In a region of at least one guide-vane ring, at least one guide vane ofthe same comprises a washing system, via which washing agent issquirtable or sprayable onto the assemblies positioned adjacent to therespective guide-vane ring, in particular onto the rotor-blade ringpositioned adjacent to the respective guide-vane ring. The guide vanescan be fixed or adjustable.

With one aspect of the present invention it is proposed that at leastone guide vane of at least one guide-vane ring of a compressor accordingto the invention comprises a washing system, via which washing agent issquirtable onto the assemblies positioned in each case adjacent to therespective guide-vane ring, in particular onto a rotor-blade ringpositioned adjacent to the respective guide-vane ring. Accordingly, thewashing system is integrated in at least one guide vane of therespective guide-vane ring. No additional installations are present inthe compressor that could negatively affect the flow through thecompressor and thus the efficiency of the same. Furthermore, the washingsystem is positioned adjacent to the assemblies to be cleaned, so thatthe same are reliably and effectively squirtable with washing agent fromthe washing system. This allows an effective cleaning of the assembliesof the compressor to be cleaned.

According to an advantageous further development of the invention, aplurality of guide vanes in the region of at least one guide-vane ringcomprise a washing system, wherein the number and position of the guidevanes in the respective guide-vane ring having a washing system isdesigned so that the assemblies that are squirtable or sprayable via thewashing system of the respective guide-vane ring, in particular of therotor-blade ring positioned adjacent to the respective guide-vane ringthat are squirtable or sprayable by the same, is or are not excitableinto natural vibrations by the squirting or spraying with the washingagent. With this advantageous further development of the invention itcan be ensured that the assemblies of the compressor to be cleaned arenot excited into natural vibrations by the washing process.

According to an advantageous further development of the invention, thewashing system of the respective guide vane comprises at least onenozzle and at least one washing agent duct leading to the respectivenozzle, wherein the or each washing agent duct runs within therespective guide vane. The or each washing agent duct of the respectiveguide vane is suppliable with the washing agent via a supply ductintroduced into a vane root or into a driving pin of the respectiveguide vane. This allows a particularly advantageous integration of awashing system in a guide vane of a guide-vane ring and the supply ofthe or each nozzle of the washing system with washing agent starting outfrom the vane root or driving pin of the respective guide vane. Theaforementioned arrangement is advantageous for particularly adjustableguide vanes.

Preferentially, the or each guide vane having a washing system isproduced via an additive production method. This allows a particularlyadvantageous integration of the washing system in the respective guidevane.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred further developments of the invention are obtained from thesubclaims and the following description. Exemplary embodiments of theinvention are explained in more detail by way of the drawing withoutbeing restricted to this. It shows:

FIG. 1: is a schematic representation of a compressor; and

FIG. 2: is a guide vane of a compressor according to one aspect of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention relates to a compressor. The compressor can be anaxial compressor or a radial compressor. Such a compressor comprises atleast one rotor side rotor-blade ring with a plurality of rotor bladesand at least one stator side guide-vane ring with a plurality of guidevanes.

FIG. 1 shows exemplarily in a highly schematic manner a compressor 10designed as an axial compressor, which serves for compressing a workingmedium 11.

In the shown exemplary embodiment, the compressor 10 comprisesrotor-blade rings 12, 13 each with a plurality of rotor blades 12 a, 13a, which rotate together with a shaft 14. Seen in flow direction of theworking medium 11, a guide-vane ring 15 and 16 respectively arepositioned in each case upstream of each rotor-blade ring 12, 13,wherein each of the guide-vane rings 15, 16 has a plurality of guidevanes 15 a and 16 a respectively. The guide vanes 15 a, 16 a or theguide-vane rings 15, 16 are stationary assemblies, which like a housing17 of the compressor do not rotate but can be moveable or adjustable.

It is pointed out here that the compressor 10 designed as axialcompressor and shown in FIG. 1 is purely exemplary in nature. Theinvention can also be employed with radial compressors. Furthermore, thenumber of the shown guide-vane rings and rotor-blade rings is purelyexemplary in nature.

According to the invention, at least one guide vane 15 a, 16 a of therespective guide-vane ring 15, 16 in the region of at least oneguide-vane ring 15, 16 comprises a washing system 18, which is anintegral part of the guide vane 15 a, 16 a. Via this washing system 18,which is part of a guide vane 15 a, 16 a, washing agent is squirtable orsprayable onto the assemblies of the compressor positioned adjacent tothe respective guide vane 15, 16, in particular onto a rotor-blade ring12, 13 positioned adjacent to the respective guide-vane ring 15, 16, inorder to clean the respective assembly.

FIG. 2 shows schematically a guide vane 15 a and 16 a of a guide-vanering 15 and 16 respectively of the compressor 10, which comprises awashing system 18 integrated in the guide vane 15 a, 16 a, wherein thewashing system 18 of the guide vane 15 a, 16 a of FIG. 2 comprises atleast one preferentially more nozzle 19 or nozzles 19 integrated in theguide vane 15 a, 16 a which serve for squirting or spraying an assemblyto be cleaned positioned adjacent to the respective guide-vane ring 15,16. A washing agent duct 20 integrated in the guide vane 15 a, 16 a, viawhich the respective nozzle 19 can be supplied with washing agent,interacts with each nozzle 19. The washing agent ducts 20 leading to thenozzles 19 are suppliable with washing agent via a supply channel 22introduced into or integrated in a vane root 21 or in a driving pin 21of the respective guide vane 15 a, 16 a.

The supply via the driving pin 21 or vane root 21 is predominantlyeffected with adjustable guide vanes 15 a, 16 a.

The plurality of nozzles 19 of the respective guide vane 15 a, 16 a aredistributed over the height of the respective guide vane 15 a, 16 a,which extends transversely to the flow direction through the respectiveguide vane ring 15, 16, preferentially evenly distributed or positionedso that they optimally spray the rotor blades.

Position and spray angle of the nozzles 19 of the respective guide vane15 a, 15 b are preferentially designed for an optimal cleaning of therespective assemblies of the compressor 10 to be cleaned.

The respective guide vane 15 a, 16 a can be an adjustable guide vane 15a, 16 a of a guide-vane ring designed for example as adjustable initialguide vane ring. In this case, the vane root 21 is designed as drivingpin to adapt the relative position of the respective guide vane 15 a, 16a in the flow duct of the compressor 10 and thus the inflow of therotor-blade ring 12, 13 positioned downstream of the respectiveguide-vane ring 15, 16.

The supply channel 22 of the respective guide vane 15 a, 16 a introducedinto the vane root or driving pin can be supplied with the washing agentvia a flexible supply hose, in the case of an adjustable guide-vane ringalternatively via a driveshaft of the guide-vane ring, which serves foradjusting the guide vanes of the respective guide-vane ring.

It is therefore in the interest of the present invention that at leastone guide vane 15 a, 16 a of at least one guide-vane ring 15, 16 of acompressor has a washing system 18 integrated in the same, via whichwashing agent is squirtable or sprayable onto assemblies positioned tothe respective guide-vane ring 15, 16, in particular onto a rotor-bladering 12, 13 positioned adjacent to the respective guide-vane ring 15,16.

Since a rotor-blade ring 12, 13 during the operation rotates relative tothe fixed guide-vane ring 15, 16 it is adequate when a single guide vaneof the guide-vane ring comprises a washing system 18, since via therotation of the rotor-blade ring the rotor blades 12 a, 13 a of the sameare moved past the respective guide vane 15 a, 16 a, which comprises thewashing system 18, so that the adjacent rotor-blade ring can becompletely sprayed or squirted with washing agent and thus cleaned evenvia the washing system 18 of a single guide vane.

According to an advantageous further development it is possible that aplurality of guide vanes 15 a, 16 a, preferentially in the region of atleast one guide-vane ring 15, 16, each have a washing system 18. Thenumber and position of the guide vanes 15 a, 16 a having such a washingsystem 18 is designed or selected in such a manner that the assembliesthat are squirtable or sprayable via the washing systems 18 of therespective guide vanes 15 a, 16 a of the respective guide-vane ring 15and 16 respectively, in particular the rotor-blade ring 12 and 13respectively, which is positioned adjacent to the respective guide-vanering 15 a, 16 a and is squirtable or sprayable from the same, is notexcitable into natural vibrations by the squirting or spraying with thewashing agent.

This then makes possible a particularly advantageous cleaning of thecompressor without the risk of a vibration excitation of the respectiveassemblies to be cleaned, in particular of the respective rotor-bladering to be cleaned.

As already explained, the nozzles 19 and the washing agent duct 20 arean integral part of the respective guide vane 15 a and 16 arespectively. Here it can be provided that the respective guide vane 15a and 16 a respectively is produced by an additive production method.Additive production methods are also described as generative productionmethods, these include for example selective laser melting or selectivelaser sintering. Via such an additive or generative production method, aguide vane 15 a, 16 a can be particularly advantageously produced withthe integrated washing system 18.

In contrast with this it is also possible, however, that the guide vane15 a, 16 a, comprising a washing system 18, is produced as a casting.Here, the washing agent ducts 20 as well as nozzle 19 can be formedduring the casting. Furthermore it is possible to subsequently introducethe nozzles 19 and ducts 20 into the respective guide vane 15 a, 16 aafter the casting.

The compressor according to the invention makes possible an effectivecleaning of assemblies of the same without the need of additionalinstallations, which negatively affect the flow through the compressor.At least one guide vane of a guide-vane ring comprises a washing systemwhich is an integral part of the respective guide vane. By way of this,rotor blades of a rotor-blade ring in particular positioned directlyadjacent to the respective guide-vane ring can be effectively cleaned.

Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamentalnovel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodimentthereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutionsand changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and intheir operation, may be made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expresslyintended that all combinations of those elements and/or method stepswhich perform substantially the same function in substantially the sameway to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention.Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/ormethod steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosedform or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any otherdisclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a generalmatter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limitedonly as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

1.-10. (canceled)
 11. A compressor for compressing a working medium,comprising: at least one rotor side rotor-blade ring that comprises aplurality of rotor blades; and at least one stator side guide-vane ringthat comprises a plurality of guide vanes; at least one guide vanecomprises a washing system, via which washing agent is dispensed onto arotor-blade ring positioned adjacent to the respective guide-vane ring.12. The compressor according to claim 11, wherein a plurality of guidevanes comprise a washing system, wherein a number and a position of theguide vanes comprising a washing system is designed so that theplurality of rotor blades of the rotor-blade ring are not excitable intonatural vibrations by the dispensed washing agent.
 13. The compressoraccording to claim 12, wherein a number and position of the guide vaneshaving a washing system in the respective guide-vane ring is configuredso that the rotor-blade ring that are dispensed upon via the washingsystem of the respective guide-vane ring and positioned adjacent to therespective guide-vane ring are not excitable into natural vibrations bythe dispensing.
 14. The compressor according to claim 11, wherein thewashing system of a respective guide vane has at least one nozzle and atleast one washing agent duct leading to the at least one nozzle, whereinthe washing agent duct runs within the respective guide vane.
 15. Thecompressor according to claim 14, wherein the at least one washing agentduct of the respective guide vane is configured to be supplied with thewashing agent via a supply duct introduced into one of a vane root orinto a driving pin of the respective guide vane.
 16. The compressoraccording to claim 15, wherein the washing agent is supplied to thesupply duct of the respective guide vane via a flexible supply hose. 17.The compressor according to claim 11, wherein in a region of anadjustable initial guide vane ring, which comprises adjustable guidevanes, at least one guide vane has a washing system.
 18. The compressoraccording to claim 17, wherein the adjustable initial guide vane ring isconfigured to be supplied with the washing agent via a driveshaft of thesame.
 19. The compressor according to claim 11, wherein each guide vanehaving a respective washing system is produced via an additiveproduction method.
 20. The compressor according to claim 11, whereineach guide vane having a washing system is a casting.
 21. The compressoraccording to claim 11, wherein the washing agent is dispensed bysquirting or spraying.